Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1887-09-09
ON THE BORDER.

my time, from doubling cape Horn as q
sailor to digging gold as a miner, and
fighting Indians as scout, and yet the
closest escape ever had from death was
with my eyes wide open and through
my own stupidity. Early in the seven
ties. I was down IN the Indian territory
buying horses for shipment east. l had
a partner, and we Travelled with our own
team in a covered wagon. That terri
tory is not any too peaceful now, but in
'72-3 you not only wanted a trusty rifle
with YOU, but you wanted the knack of
dropping your man first. Travelling from
ranch to ranch as we did, with every
body knowing that we had money to
buy horses with, our situation was one
requiring constant vigilance. There was
never a night that both of us slept at
once, and never day that we were not
on the watch for some plan to get the
better of us. In one trip of three months
we had five different watch dogs pois-
oned, and finally gave up trying to keep
one. You might imagine that it would
have been worth while for some of the
predatory bands roaming the country to
make an open attack on us, but the fell
lows reasoned differently. A couple of
volvers, and determined to defend their
own at any cost, are antagonists not to
be despised. Your western outlaw, with
very few exceptions. is just as careful
about getting a bullet into his body as
any one else.
One day in July, while we were on the
north fork of the Canadian river. and
about twenty miles below Shawneetown.
one of the horses in our team was bitten
by rattlesnake I was driving, and l
saw the snake as it lifted itself from the
grass and bit the horse twice on the leg.
1t was hot day, the horses well heated
up. and the poison took effect very soon.
We had no remedy for it, but We're com
PEELED to stand by and see the animal suf
fer and die. 1t wasn't quite an hour
after he was struck before he was dead.
In buying horses we stipulated for deliv-
cry at certain points, and thus had no
spare ones with us. To make our team
whole one of us must take the other horse
and ride off and make a purchase. l had
been over the route before, and knew
that the nearest ranch was twelve miles
up the river. 1t was now o clock in the
afternoon, and we were within half a
mile of the stream and in a wild and
lonely district of country. We had with
us in tin box in the wagon over 81. 900
in gold, and the misfortune to our horse
naturally increased our anxieties. My
partner insisted that should be the one
to remain with the wagon, and he had no
sooner moved away than began to make
things secure. The very first move was
to take the tin box from the wagon and
- =, IL.
and after that staked out the horse saw
that every firearm was in good order, and
beat around the camp to drive away any
reptiles lurking about.
There was no use in expecting Patton,
my partner, back before o'clock or
later. He would doubtless find suitable
horse at the first ranch, but the ranch
man might he away, or there were q
dozen other reasons to call for delay. We
carried provisions with us, and at about q
o'clock / built fire and prepared my
supper, and was about to begin eating
when I caught sight of horse and rider
approaching camp from the northwest.
The ground was open for three or four
miles, and as / had a glass with me
made out, while the horse was yet mile
and half away, that he bore woman
on his back. Had she been a squaw the
the sight would not have occasioned sur
prise, but the first look proved that she
was white and that her horse was jaded
and coming slowly. AS | held the glass
on her | saw her turn and look back. as
one pursued and long before she reached
me l had become greatly interested il
her case. She rode straight for the
wagon, and when she finally came up hel
horse was very much blown, and the
woman's face seemedsto betray both hops
and fear by turns. She was an average
looking female, about 40 years old ant
as she drew rein beside me we surveyed
each other for half minute before
either spoke. During that interval
caught an expression on her face which
did not at all like. II was sly. sinister
look but it passed swiftly away and wa
replaced by one of anxiety. ! was thu
first to speak, saying:
"Well, are you in troublei'
''In great trouble, sir she replied
81 have been living with my brother OF
a small ranch about fifteen miles distant
Two hours ago dozen drunken Kicka
poo Indians visited the place, wounde,
my brother and set fire to the house, an,
would have assaulted me had l not fie,
on this horse. They pursued me TO
several miles, and I-P'-
Here she broke down and began to or,
and sob. What could do but ask he
to dismount, give her my promise of pro
lection, and say that when my partne
returned we would drive straight to tn
ranch and sacrifice our lives, if need be
to rescue her brother and teach the In
dams lesson? She did not come dow
without considerable palaver, seeming t
be very sensitive about getting me int
trouble, and when she did take seat O
the blankets prepared for her she con
tinued to cry and lament and would nc
touch a mouthful of food.
1t had grown dark by the time I ha
eaten my supper, and 1t was now time
look for Patton. 1 sought as any ma
would have done under the circun
stances, to cheer the woman up, and b
and by she gave over crying and SCENE
hit mora hnraf,ll Sha ayDlaipa1 tbs